Several days into May, Étienne surprised Aurélie with an outing to the nearest town. He had politely knocked on her door one evening and told her to get ready to go out. An hour later the pair was seated in one of the Duke’s carriages, dressed in simple clothes. Aurélie wanted to wear her uniform as usual but was quickly told to wear something that would make her blend in with a crowd. Confused, she had climbed into the carriage wearing a simple navy-coloured dress, a collared robe providing her with enough warmth for their evening adventure. Étienne sat across from her and was silent for most of the ride, observing the dark landscape that surrounded them. He noticed that clouds were beginning to form far away in the distance. Only as lights started to appear in the distance did he speak up, revealing what he had planned. 

“There is a spring festival that is hosted here every year. I thought you might enjoy it.”

Aurélie looked at him, surprised. Her cheeks began to flush as she bowed her head. 

“That is very considerate of you, Étienne. Might I ask what we will get to see?”

“The town celebrates late into the night. There will be plenty of food stalls, games and performances. I hear there is a prize for the best flower arrangement,” Étienne said, turning to her. “I imagine you would do quite well in that.”

“That is a very bold statement. It is a mere hobby of mine. I do not think I would be much of a match for those who practice all year for this event,” Aurélie chuckled, looking out of the window once more. As they approached the town the carriage came to an abrupt stop, to Aurelie’s surprise. Étienne stepped out of the carriage and held out his hand, helping his companion out. Even from the town entrance, Aurélie could already hear people laughing and singing. Lanterns lit the side of the stone pathway, leading towards the centre of town. 

“Shall we?” Étienne asked, holding out his arm. “We have all night.”

Aurélie took it and allowed him to lead them towards the festivities. As they reached the centre of town Aurélie gasped. Flower garlands hung between the houses, with thousands of flowers neatly arranged in several buckets around the town square. Little stalls were set up, each selling a variety of foods and souvenirs. There were several merchants yelling out special offers and trying to attract customers. A stage was set up in front of the fountain, a group of musicians playing a jig with several townsfolk gathered in front, singing and dancing with one another. Aurélie had never seen something so lively before. She stood rooted on the spot for several minutes, her eyes not willing to settle on just one attraction. A large group of people were gathered in a semi-circle, cheering on two men that were trying to chug giant tankards of what appeared to be beer. Aurélie watched in fascination, unable to understand what the crowd was yelling. The larger man of the two slammed his tankard down on the table after a while, raising his arms in victory. The crowd erupted into louder cheers, drowning out the loud belch of the victor. A young woman dressed in a yellow dress with flowers embroidered on it walked over to the man, placing a flower crown on his head before kissing him on the cheek and clapping alongside the crowd. 

Aurélie felt a tug from Étienne and let herself be guided further along. As the pair continued to walk she noticed that almost everyone was wearing flower crowns or head pieces fashioned from leaves. It wasn’t until Étienne stopped in front of a little stall that had several crowns on display, that she realised what he was doing. Handing the plump, smiling woman that ran the shop several coins, he took a flower crown made from yellow and white roses and gently placed it on Aurelie’s head, careful not to mess up her updo. 

She peered up at him. “Thank you for this. You did not have to get me one.”

“We might as well properly join in the festivities,” Étienne said while shrugging, picking out a crown made from several leaves and daisies. He placed the crown on his own head before looking down at Aurélie. 

“What would you like to do?”

Aurélie looked around, pulling up her shoulders and exhaling loudly. “I would not know where to begin. Have you come here before?” 

“I used to come here with my mother a few times. The food stalls were always an excellent choice. That is before I lost majority of my taste after my turning,” Étienne added quietly. “Have you eaten yet?”

Aurélie shook her head and was promptly whisked away to one of the many stalls. From several varieties of pastries and sweets to proper dishes, Aurelie’s mouth watered just by looking at all the food that was surrounding her. She spent several minutes walking around each stall, inspecting what was for sale and conversing lightly with the cooks. Étienne followed her patiently, his eyes drifting to one of the stalls selling sweet tarts. He smiled before turning back to Aurélie, who had decided to settle on a tarte flambée. 

“This is amazing,” Aurélie said between bites, her cheeks flushed. “I barely remember the last time I had one of these.”

Étienne chuckled, waiting for her to finish her food. 

After she had finished eating, Aurélie looked around herself. It was foreign for her to be surrounded by so many people of her kind. Everyone was cheerful and laughing, dancing without a care in the world. She tried to determine how many vampires were hidden among the crowd of humans. There didn’t seem to be any around them, much to her surprise. 

“Étienne, do you know if many vampires join in on human festivities?” Aurélie asked, her voice low. 

Étienne shrugged. “Not that I am aware of. There are a few in this town, though I do not know if they like partaking in festivals. Some are not as controlled as others, if you catch my drift.” 

“I see,” Aurélie said, scanning the crowd once more. It would not be very pleasant if a group of vampires were to go and lose control in a place like this. She shuddered as she imagined hundreds of humans drained, the streets turning into a sea of blood underneath their bodies. If a vampire were to lose control, there would be little that could be done to stop them. 

“Oh look,” Étienne pulled Aurélie out of her thoughts, pointing to a group of people that were forming a circle. “They are about to start a dance.”

True to his word, the tune of the music shifted and soon the people in the circle began to hold hands and dance to the jig. Aurélie watched in amazement at the coordination the dancers displayed. Several townsfolk and children joined in, laughing with each other as they continued to dance. 

“Want to join?” Étienne asked, looking down at his companion. 

“As fun as it looks, I do not know this dance,” Aurélie replied, looking up at him helpless. Before she could say anything else she felt herself being pulled towards the dancers, protesting. 

“No better time to learn than now!” Étienne yelled behind him, the music getting louder the closer they walked to the performance. Without waiting he pushed himself and Aurélie between two dancers, joining in on the steps. Aurélie was amazed at how easy he made the dance seem. He held her hand firmly, raising and lowering her arm to the tune. The man on Aurelie’s other side also held her hand, giving her a quick smile before continuing the jig. Aurélie felt lost and tried her best to follow along. The steps were quick and she found herself being spun around several times. The man to her right spun her towards Étienne, who caught her. One hand firmly on her hip and the other holding her hand, he continued the fast steps, Aurélie tripping over her own feet. 

“Just do the opposite of what I am doing. Here, like this,” Étienne said loudly over the music, slowing down his steps and allowing Aurélie to copy his movesets. After several tries she finally seemed to be able to follow along, her face lighting up. Étienne quickened his pace and soon the pair were dancing along to the beat. Aurélie began to laugh along with the other dancers, looking around herself. Every now and then the dancers broke apart to clap a few times, before being spun away from their dance partners and to the next one in the circle. Étienne watched as Aurélie continued to move along the circle, a smile forming at the corner of his mouth. The jig went on and Aurélie found herself passed between several men and women in the circle. Each gave her a wide smile and helped her with the steps. Several dancers even struck a conversation with her during the dance, asking if she was enjoying the festival. Soon Aurélie found herself back at the beginning with Étienne, who had now joined in laughing. She was glad to see a more cheerful side to him. He looked content and relaxed, the usual annoying expression he carried lost to the jig. She smiled back at him, enjoying the rare occasion.  

As Étienne went to spin Aurélie back to the person next to him, rain drops started falling from the sky. Aurélie and several of the other dancers gasped in surprise. In a matter of seconds it began to pour, drowning out the music and drenching everyone. All the dancers broke apart, rushing off to find cover. The musicians jumped off the stage and hurried along, covering their instruments with bags and cloths. Étienne took Aurelie’s arm and ran through the cobbled streets down past the festival grounds. As they turned the corner a small church came into view. In a matter of seconds the pair found themselves standing inside the church, dripping wet and panting. 

“Well that was unexpected,” Aurélie said between heavy breaths, looking up at Étienne, who began taking off his coat. 

“Certainly. I did not think those clouds would follow us here,” he mumbled, walking forward. 

The church that they found refuge in was modestly sized. Stained windows ran along both sides of the church, depicting several biblical scenes. Pews ran down next to the red carpet of the church, leading to a few steps onto a platform. A large altar rested at the far end, a cross depicting a crucified christ standing tall in front of the large stained window at the back of the church. It was quiet, the sound of the rain echoing around the hall. A pleasant scent of burning incense wafted through the church. 

Étienne unceremoniously dumped his jacket over the back of one of the pews. He ran and squeezed his fingers through his hair, trying to dry it. Aurélie took of her jacket, carefully folding it and placing it over the pew, next to Étienne’s. She sat down, wringing out her skirts and hoping that the priest of the church would not get angry at them for creating puddles. Looking ahead, she was surprised to see that there was no one else in the church except for them. Several lit candles dowsed the church in a welcoming warm glow. 

Étienne sat down beside Aurélie. “I apologise about that. Getting caught in the rain was not part of my plans for this evening.”

Aurélie smiled and shook her head, shifting slightly to turn towards him. “Tonight was fun. Thank you for taking me to the festival.”

The pair sat next to each other in silence for several minutes. As the evening went by, the church got colder and colder. Being fully drenched did not help either, and Aurélie soon found herself shivering uncontrollably. Étienne next to her seemed unfazed. Aurélie cursed the genetic mutation that prevented him from feeling the cold. After several minutes of shivering, Étienne got up and disappeared through one of the side doors of the church, mumbling something about trying to find another coat. He returned a while later, a deep red woollen blanket thrown over his arm. Wordlessly he wrapped the blanket around Aurélie, who mumbled a quiet ‘thank you’. As Étienne slumped himself back down onto the pew, Aurélie let out a giggle. 

“What is so funny?”

“This whole situation. I mean really, you picked a church out of all places to find refuge?” Aurélie chuckled, placing a hand over her mouth and glancing to Étienne. 

“Is that a problem?”

Aurélie shook her head. “Not at all. Just many would think that you would be silly choosing place like this. You might want to take a wide step around the basin over there.” 

Étienne scoffed, shaking his head. “You know well enough that holy water will not kill me. Those are wives’ tales and the irrational logics of the church.”

“I always wondered how they managed to come up with those solutions. Same with all those witch trials,” Aurélie said, turning back to face the front of the church. “It is silly that we humans always think that killing the inexplicable is the best solution.”

“Careful saying that out loud in such a place. Would not want you burned for defending the devil,” Étienne mocked, flashing her a grin. 

Aurélie turned back to him and shrugged. “Let them burn me then. I will always defend your kind. It is not your fault that a mutation causes you to undergo severe changes. One day they might learn and understand,” she said, giving Étienne a weak smile. “You did not have a say in the way you were born, so why be punished for it?” 

Étienne watched his companion for a while, observing the way she talked about the subject of his mutation. Constantly being surrounded by his own kind, it was refreshing to see a human that would not go out of their way to have him killed. Although he did not spend a great deal of time with the humans in the surrounding villages anyway, it was still pleasant that at least one seemed to have common sense. He smiled as he continued to watch his companion. Perhaps his father had made a good choice after all? 

His thoughts were interrupted as the church bells rang twelve times, causing both him and Aurélie to jump. 

After the bells had finished tolling, Aurélie watched in surprise as Étienne cleared his throat and pulled out a thin, small box from the jacket that he had flung over the pew. As he opened it a small silver locket came into view. The locket was shaped like a tear drop, a navy gemstone resting in the centre. 

“I was told that you do not possess a lot of jewellery. Consider this a birthday gift from me,” Étienne said, his ears turning slightly pink. “And I guess from Amelie as well, as she was the one who had authority over your gift.”

Aurelie’s mouth was slightly open in surprise as she reached for the locket and pulled it away from its perch. A thin chain with a clasp was attached at the top of the locket. 

“It is beautiful, Étienne. Thank you very much for this kind gift. I do not believe I told anyone apart from Amelie that it would be my birthday today,” she said, looking up at Étienne from the locket. 

“Well, your maid explicitly went out of her way to tell me several days prior. She would have my head if I did not gift you anything. Consider it also an apology.”

“What for?”

Étienne sighed, before continuing. “I was a real prick when I first met you. It was unfair to treat you in such a way.”

Aurélie held the locket to her heart, before reaching out her hand and squeezing Étienne’s. She smiled at him. “I accept your apology. And I accept your gift. Can you help me put it on?”

Aurélie shifted in her seat so that her back was facing towards Étienne. She handed him the locket and he expertly placed it around her neck and fastened the clasp at the back. His hands lingered on her neck. 

“Do you know what you will put in it?” Étienne asked after a while, clearing his throat as she turned back to face him. 

Aurélie shook her head. “Not yet. Thank you again for this. I will cherish it.”

Étienne smiled down at her. “Happy birthday, Aurélie. May there be many more to come.”

Aurélie bowed her head. “Thank you, Étienne.”

The sounds of the rain grew heavier, echoing around the church. Candles began to flicker, slowly extinguishing as the night went on. Only the ones around Aurélie and Étienne remained, dowsing the pair in a warm orange glow. Étienne continued to look down at his companion, watching as her soft eyes travelled up towards him. His hand found hers, gently holding it. 

He thought back to the library. Her soft hands around him, her overwhelming scent. He longed to be closer to her, wanting nothing more than to take her and make her his. He cursed at how she made him feel. His pulse quickened as he looked down, Aurélie mere inches away from him. 

“Are you alright?” she asked, looking into his eyes with a puzzled expression. 

Étienne felt himself turn red and he quickly looked away. “Yes,” he lied. 

Aurélie raised her eyebrows. She placed her hand underneath his chin and turned his face towards her. “I do not believe you.”

Étienne let out a deep sigh. He took her hand from underneath his chin and clutched it near his chest. “You drive me crazy.”

“I apologise,” Aurélie mumbled, looking sheepish. 

“Not like that. Ever since the library my thoughts are occupied with you.”

Aurélie felt her cheeks grow warmer. At least she was not the only one. The little scene she displayed in the library left her wanting more. Weeks had gone by and they had engaged in polite conversation, learning more about each other as the days went by. Étienne had started confiding in her, revealing his past. More than once did the pair exchange brief touches of affection, cold hands seeking out warm ones and kisses on the cheeks when meeting up. Aurélie would be lying if she said she did not feel herself growing to like the young master more with each passing day. She felt Étienne bury his head into her shoulder, a deep sigh escaping him. 

“You know, you do not have to hold yourself back.” 

Aurélie’s sudden statement caused Étienne to look back up at her. He watched as his companion dropped the red blanket that was covering her, standing up in front of him. “It is alright to feel this way.” 

He watched as her hands reached towards the front of her bodice as she began to unbutton the top of her soaked dress. 

“I have been feeling quite the same,”Aurélie confessed, as she looked down at Étienne. 

Étienne felt himself grow more heated with each button that was popped free, his eyes travelling from the bodice of the dress to Aurélie’s face. His companion’s cheeks were slightly red, embarrassment beginning to settle over her. 

“Are you sure?” he asked, standing up and shifting closer to her, moving her hands. “We do not have to do anything. You may be a companion but I will not be upset if we remain the way we are.” 

Aurélie shook her head, guiding his hands on to the buttons and looking up at him as he slowly began taking over, undoing each button and slipping the fabric off her shoulders. 

“Étienne, I want you and I know you want the same. As selfish and un-companion-like as that may sound.” She wiggled from side to side, pulling the dress over her and exposing herself to him. Étienne’s felt his heartbeat quicken, surprised. Aurélie looked up at him, her hands pulling him closer towards her.  

“Touch me,” she whispered. “Like you did before.”  

Étienne felt his core tighten as Aurélie guided his hand to her chest. He stood in front of her, cupping each breast and leaning down to kiss her neck. He felt her pulse quicken underneath him as he played with her nipples. He continued to run his fingers across her bare skin. She was beautiful, not a single blemish on her soft and pale skin. His companion smelled like the rain and of roses, her scent luring him closer. 

Étienne shifted as he continued to run his fingers down her chest and legs, gently caressing Aurélie’s thighs. He watched as his companion began to squirm, her head tilted slightly back. Recalling their first intimate encounter, Étienne leaned in closer and began trailing kisses down her stomach, stopping briefly to pull her down onto the ground and kissing the inside of each thigh as Aurélie sat down on the floor. He let her sounds of pleasure guide him as he kneeled down, kissing around her core. He could feel her frustration as he avoided her centre, her small moans of disappointment almost making him lose control. 

Aurélie was now only half sitting up, her elbows supporting her weight and her head tilted back fully as Étienne began to explore her further. The soft kisses were replaced by gentle traces of his tongue. Aurélie’s legs began to quiver as he moved closer to her core, the anticipation almost ending her. He continued to tease around her sensitivity, looking up at her and grinning at the desperation in her eyes. 

Aurélie’s bare back hit the cold tiles as she laid herself onto the ground fully, her moans echoing around the church like a choir of pleasure as Étienne finally focused on her core. As he continued running his tongue up and down her folds, she stretched out her arms and grasped unto the wooden pews on either side of her. She tried to contain her sounds, cursing herself that she melted so easily underneath Étienne as he continued. She felt his cold hands trace up her stomach and towards her breasts, cupping them before baring down and squeezing them hard. Aurélie let out a gasp, looking down as Étienne moved himself up towards her, leaving a trail of kisses once more on her abdomen. His knee pushed itself against her sensitive core, causing Aurélie’s cheeks to flush. 

Étienne gave her a quick smirk before he began kissing around her breasts, his mouth occasionally biting and sucking on her nipples gently. The candlelight glimmered off the teardrop necklace that he had gifted her. One hand had now made its way to her core, his fingers slick with her anticipation. He gently began circling her bud, occasionally running his fingers up and down her folds. His tongue began to lightly run up her neck, his fangs growing as he paused above her artery. Each pulse drew him closer, wanting nothing more than to sink his teeth into her flesh and relish in the taste of her blood. Her scent allured him, clouding his mind. 

Underneath him, Aurélie squirmed, letting out a small moan as she felt him dip his finger into her. He slowly began to pump, his thumb now pushing down on the small bundle of nerves that almost threw Aurélie over the edge. Her hips began bucking as Étienne picked up his pace, his fangs grazing the delicate skin on her neck. 

“Please, Étienne,” Aurélie stammered in a whisper between soft moans. “I need you.” 

Her soft beg snapped Étienne out of his stupor, pulling back from her neck and looking down at his companion. Her cheeks were flushed red and her eyes pleaded for him. 

“What do you want?” he asked, adding another digit to her core. 

Aurélie gasped and closed her eyes as she threw her head back once more. Only after Étienne slowed down his pace did she open her eyes again, looking up at him. 

“I want you fully,” she whispered, resting her hand on his chest and slowly beginning to trail her fingers down. Étienne shifted closer to her, allowing her to unbuckle his belt. He removed his hand from her and helped her, his heat free from the constraints of the fabric. 

Aurélie wrapped her fingers around him, gently running her hand up and down. Étienne was now kneeling over his companion fully, bearing his weight on his hands on either side of her shoulders. 

“Fuck, Aurélie,” he mumbled, taking in a sharp breath as Aurélie continued to run her thumb in circles over his tip. It had been years since he had made love to another woman, and his companion was certainly not making it easy for him to stop himself from releasing too soon. 

Sensing his growing desperation, Aurélie slowed down and removed her hand from him, resting it against his chest. It was enough for him to take a few deep breaths, looking down at the woman below him. He trailed one of his hands back down her stomach, resting it on her hip. 

“Are you sure you want this?” he asked, inspecting her for any signs of discomfort or hesitation. “I will not force you to do anything.” 

Aurélie nodded, her cheeks still flushed. “I am sure,” she whispered, letting out a sigh of content as she felt his fingers back over her heat. Her heart began to race as Étienne lowered himself. Thoughts of her lessons rushed back into her mind, each of the companions having been trained in ways to relax themselves. Aurélie had never been with a man before, the anticipation exciting her yet also sending waves of nerves over her at the same time. Étienne was larger than she expected, a sharp sting coursing through her as he began positioning himself at her entrance. She felt him lean down towards her and she began clutching at him, her nails digging into the skin on his back. His breath was warm as he leaned towards her. 

“Are you alright?” 

Aurélie nodded, biting her lip. 

“Do you want me to stop?”

This time Aurélie shook her head. “No,” she said, somewhat sternly, clutching him tighter. She could now feel him entering her, stretching her fully. Étienne remained buried in her for a while, moving slowly once his companion began relaxing around him. It did not take long for Aurélie to release her tight grip on his back. She could feel him fully now, each thrust sending a wave of pleasure through her. He was gentle and slow at first, observing Aurélie’s face for the slightest sign of discomfort. 

The hall began filling with the sound of both of Aurélie’s and Étienne’s moans. The companion had now shifted so that she was sitting up slightly, one arm wrapped around Étienne’s neck and the other bent to support her weight off the ground, with her forehead resting against Étienne’s. Both companion and vampire looked at each other, their lips slightly parted. Étienne increased his pace, Aurélie’s bucking hips matching his. Moans from the pair echoed around them, the candles continuing to flicker as the rain poured down onto the roof. 

Butterflies began forming in Aurélie’s stomach, the knot in her core threatening to unravel at any second. She felt out of breath, gasping for air as Étienne continued his pace, thrusting deep into her. He had wrapped one arm underneath her knee and pushed it closer to her chest, while his other arm rested near Aurélie’s bent one. He focused on her walls clinging around him, her warmth and the look in her soft, blue eyes. She looked angelic, several blonde strands of her hair falling around her flushed face.

Aurélie bit her lip as Étienne continued to look at her, his eyes dark. His pace remained steady, no sign of him stopping at any time soon. Perhaps this is what Caroline had meant when Aurélie spoke to her. The knot in her core grew tighter and tighter as Étienne continued, until Aurélie could not hold on anymore and let herself unravel. The companion felt like collapsing as she was finally pushed over the edge. Waves upon waves of pleasure shot through her as she fell backwards, her back hitting the tiles once more. Blood rushed to her ears and she could see specks of glitter line her vision as she felt Étienne slow down. So lost in her bliss, she did not even feel the warmth of Étienne’s release on her lower belly and his groan near her ear. They both laid there, Étienne careful not to place his full weight over her, catching their breaths. 

The rain above them began to slow down, the tapping of the drops diminishing over time. Étienne sat up after a while, pulling out a handkerchief out of the pockets of his discarded trousers, wiping Aurélie’s stomach clean. The companion remained on the ground, her chest still heaving. 

“We are going to hell,” she said between breaths, staring up at the ceiling and coming to face with a painting of angels surrounding a bright light. 

Étienne looked up and chuckled as he pulled up his trousers, standing up and holding out his hand. “Be that as it may, at least we made a name for ourselves.” 

Aurélie blushed as she let herself be pulled up. Étienne handed her her dress, the companion wincing as she stepped into it. The fabric was still soaked, the cold air around them and the wet fabric causing her to shiver. She was thankful as Étienne wrapped the red blanket around her once more, kissing the top of her hand. 

“Are you alright?” he asked her, examining her face. 

Aurélie smiled at him and nodded. 

“Now that it has stopped raining I suppose we should head back to the carriage. I am ready to get into dryer clothes,” Étienne said, standing up full and looking back down at his companion. 

“I quite agree,” Aurélie said after a while, her cheeks red as she let her hand drop and pulled the blanket closer around herself. Étienne held out his arm and she let herself be guided out of the church and back through the town. The festivities had stopped, deep puddles scattered around the grounds. Several people were beginning to come out from under cover, beginning to close up their stalls. Aurélie and Étienne made their way back to where the coachman had dropped them off. The pair silently stepped into the carriage, the exhaustion of the festival and their trip to the church finally catching up to them. On their journey home Aurélie held her new locket tightly between her fingers, smiling as she recalled the earlier scenes in the church. The blush on her cheeks and the warmth from Étienne remained with her for the rest of the journey. 

It was the best birthday she had ever had.